Join The Methodist Foundation of Mississippi exploring the Journeys of Paul In Turkiye and Nicaea

The Methodist Foundation of Mississippi invites you to join us on a journey to some of the holy places you know from Scripture. Scheduled for mid-April 2027, this trip is an opportunity we are excited to share with our partners. We believe this experience will nourish your spirit and offer a deeper understanding of the places and stories that shape our faith. 

Reading Scripture takes on new meaning when you can stand in the very places where those stories unfolded. On this journey to Türkiye and Nicaea, you will have the chance to step into the world of the early church, see the landscapes of Paul’s ministry, and experience the settings of familiar biblical passages in a fresh and meaningful way. 

Your journey will begin in Istanbul, a city that q

uite literally bridges continents and cultures. Once known as Constantinople, it has been a crossroads of history and faith for centuries. As you visit places like Hagia Sophia, you will see where generations of believers gathered to worship, pray, and seek God. 

From Istanbul, you will travel into the heart of ancient Asia Minor, where the apostle Paul and other early Christians helped shape the Church we know today. In Antioch in Pisidia, you will encounter the setting of Paul’s first recorded sermon (Acts 13), where he boldly proclaimed the story of God’s faithfulness and the good news of Jesus. It is a powerful reminder that the gospel first spread through real communities, in real places, among people not so different from you. 

As your journey continues, you will visit cities named in Paul’s letters and in the Book of Revelation. Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea invite us to reflect on messages that still speak to us today: encouragement toward faithfulness, unity, and wholehearted devotion. Walking among the ruins, it will become clear that these were once thriving centers of daily life and spiritual growth. 

Ephesus will be one of the most meaningful stops on our journey. Here, Paul taught, discipled, and helped build a strong community of believers (Acts 19). The message of Christ spread from this city to the entire region (Acts 19:10). Ephesus is also remembered in Revelation as a church called to return to its first love (Revelation 2:1–7), a message that continues to invite us all. 

Throughout the journey, you will visit several of the Seven Churches of Revelation: Philadelphia, Sardis, Thyatira, Smyrna, Pergamum, and others. Each has its own story of faith, challenge, and perseverance. Their experiences remind us that the Christian life is lived in the balance between culture and conviction, encouragement and correction, hope and endurance. 

The journey will conclude with a visit to Nicaea, now called Iznik, where early church leaders gathered to affirm the foundational truths of the Christian faith in the Nicene Creed, a creed still spoken in worship around the world today. This moment in history will help you connect the story of the early church with the beliefs we continue to hold and share today. 

This journey offers more than a tour. It is an invitation to deepen your understanding of Scripture, strengthen your faith, and see the biblical story with new perspective. As you walk these ancient paths, you will be reminded that the same God who worked in these places continues to guide and inspire us today.